Las Vegas Travel Guide

Set in the middle of the vast Mojave Desert, Las Vegas was
created entirely to entertain and has been described as the world's
largest theme park. This psychedelic city of sin is home to over a
million people and welcomes 35 million more each year to its lavish
hotels and casinos. Visitors today are amazed that only 70 years
ago this thriving metropolis was a backwater with less than a
thousand inhabitants whose only guests were railway passengers
stopping off to stretch their legs on the long journey between Los
Angeles and Salt Lake City.

Things started to change in March 1931 when the State of Nevada
legalised gambling; one month later the City issued six licenses.
Then in 1946, Mafia don Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel opened the sensationally
lavish Flamingo Hilton on Highway 91. Las Vegas Boulevard was born
and the city would never be the same again.

Soon stars like Elvis, Liberace and Sinatra were making the
pilgrimage to what was fast becoming America's premier
entertainment centre. In the early days the Mafia dominated the
gambling industry but in the 1960s their influence waned and soon
all the large hotels and casinos were controlled by big
business.

Las Vegas has 18 out of 21 of the largest hotels in the world
and walking down 'The Strip' visitors will see the skylines of New
York and Paris, discover the canals of Venice and the Pyramids of
Egypt and, at Treasure Island, see a full on-sea battle between a
Pirate ship and a British Galleon. Despite these excesses, room
rates and restaurant bills are the lowest in the western world -
all subsidised by gamblers intent on a free holiday.

Although the principal draw card is still gambling, Las Vegas is
now marketed as a family destination and there is no shortage of
theme parks, shopping malls or golf courses. However, the vast
majority of visitors come to gamble and the incredible displays are
mostly designed to lure passers-by into the casinos, and once there
it's hard to leave; the exits are discreetly hidden.

Getting Around

Most visits to Las Vegas are confined to the Strip and downtown,
so it is not necessary to hire a car as both are easily navigable
by foot and there are several forms of transport that can be used.
Public transport is limited to buses, but private trolley services,
taxicabs, monorail links and free shuttle services, courtesy of the
casinos, are also available. Local buses run the length of the
Strip and into downtown and operate 24 hours a day with a flat fare
including transfers. The old-fashioned Las Vegas Strip Trolley also
runs the length of the Strip from 9.30am to 2am, and the Downtown
Trolley circles between the Stratosphere and downtown from 7am to
11pm. A state-of-the-art monorail runs above the streets, operating
from 7am to 2pm daily between the Sahara Hotel and the MGM Grand.
Taxis are plentiful and can be found lined up outside every hotel
and casino and at taxi stands. Car hire is popular with visitors
although it is best to avoid driving along the Strip as traffic is
heavy and there is little parking available. Cars are the most
practical way to explore outside Las Vegas, although there are bus
tours offered to Hoover Dam. Visitors need a valid driver's license
and must be 21 years old; under-25s are usually subject to
surcharges. To really fit in, why not consider hiring a limousine?
Although not entirely practical, it can be a fun way to feel part
of the glitz and glamour and there are several limousine agencies
in the city.

Customs

Laws vary from state to state, including speed limit, fines and
punishment. The age at which you may legally buy and consume
alcohol is 21 years.

Passport/Visa

Visitors entering the country under the Visa Waiver Programme
(VWP) must have a machine-readable passport (MRP) that has a bar
code on the photo page. Travellers under the VWP must have
passports that include biometrics if they wish to enter the country
without a visa, which means that passports must contain unique
personal data such as fingerprints or iris details. All passports
must contain a digital photo image in order to travel visa-free.
All visitors to the USA have a photograph and two fingerprints
taken by an inkless scanner on arrival, including those travelling
visa-free under the Visa Waiver Programme. As part of the Western
Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), all travellers travelling
between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the
Caribbean region are required to present a passport or other valid
travel document to enter or re-enter the United States. If
departing from the USA, a valid passport is required by immigration
authorities. All visitors who do not need a visa, under the US Visa
Waiver Programme, need to register online three days before travel.
This allows the US government to screen all visitors before travel.
It is highly recommended that passports have at least six months
validity remaining after your intended date of departure from your
travel destination. Immigration officials often apply different
rules to those stated by travel agents and official sources.